Holding On
by 24Chocoholic24
Summary: Rose awakes on a strange ship to discover something surprising.


11/12/07

I own the story line, and the story line alone.

**Holding On**

Rose awoke in the infirmary on the _Carpathia_, in the darkness of a small two-bed suite, nearly smothered with blankets. Weak and unable to see, she sat up in bed, taking in what surroundings she could see. It was obviously not her room on the _Titanic_… then it hit her. The events since the "unsinkable" ship sank came tumbling back into her memory. The vision of her true love unmoving, unresponsive, sinking to the ocean bottom tortured her for long minutes, as well as the grief that had been fueled by her unconscious rest. For the first time in a long time, she let her emotions take her where they so chose, which led her to tears – few and far between at first, but soon, she was sobbing, calling his name in agony. Before she could reach her highest level of despair, though, a familiar voice broke through her cries.

"Rose!" At the sound of her name, she froze, her fit suddenly stilled. For a moment, fear filled her mind as she remembered how Caledon Hockley had survived, terrified that it was him with his selfishness and false care. She fell back onto her pillow, mostly to help her stay quiet and still, partly to feign sleep if it turned out to be Cal. "Rose! What's wrong?" As the man approached, Rose remembered the voice: Jack Dawson, the love of her life; but, according to her memory, he was dead. Of course, there _was_ a possibility… "Rose? Are you okay?" As he knelt by the bed, turning on the lamp on the nightstand, she knew it was him… but how?

"Jack?" Disbelief mixed itself with joy in her tone, making it difficult for the one she named to read.

"I'm right here," he assured her, stroking the side of her hair nearer to him.

She took his free hand, forcing any remaining fear or doubt from her mind. To her dismay, though, confusion still remained. "I thought you were dead. … I promised you I'd survive and then I … I… I was singing when the boats came back. And I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't wake up, and… I had to let go… You sank to the bottom of the ocean, then I swam to the whistle and they rescued me. When we got to America, I told them I was Rose Dawson and… we had to stay on the ship, so I found a room and cried myself to sleep…" Her voice trailed off as a smile played across Jack's face.

"Almost," he chuckled. "I don't know where you got the part about me dying, but _I_ was the one singing. _You_ were the one who wouldn't wake up, but you were still alive. _I _swam to the whistle, and they rescued both of us. We _are_ in America now, and we _do_ have to stay on the boat until everyone is taken care of properly. Oh, and Cal said to tell you that he's canceling the wedding and he doesn't want anything more to do with you."

Rose breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God; I hate that man. Is my mother aboard?"

Jack shook his head. "I don't know. I haven't been on top deck since we boarded."

"How long until we get off?"

"Oh, I'd say we've got about a day and a half… or two."

"Then, I'll find her tomorrow."

There was a long – but far from awkward – silence then, as Rose took everything in and Jack resumed stroking her hair. At length, he returned to his original point of interest. "Feeling any better yet?"

"Much," she smiled for the first time since that cold night in the freezing water. "But I can't say I'm comfortable with all these blankets on top of me."

"I'm sorry," Jack frowned, stripping several layers off of the pile on the bed. Having reduced the pile to two blankets on top of the comforter, he smiled up at Rose from the foot of her bed. "Anything else I can do for you?"

Nearly giggling, she scooted over to one side of the bed. "It's kind of lonely… being one person in a bed for two…"

"I can change that!" he grinned, jumping into the bed next to her.

"Would you hold me?" she asked innocently.

"And I'll never let go." She nestled up against him, and he wrapped his arms securely around her fragile body. At last, her breathing slowed and they both began to relax. "I love you, Rose."

At last, she felt fulfilled – her world was complete. She knew his words were true, as were her own: "I love you, too, Jack."


End file.
